Aerosol detector with WCPC Technology

ERC GmbH – Your partner for special detectors and individual problem solving in HPLC for more than 30 years, introduces the NQAD™ detector to the German market. This aerosol detector is based on the tried-and-tested WCPC technology (Water Condensation Particle Counting, manufacturer Quant Technologies Inc, USA). It can be used where no UV-active substances are present and where mass spectrometry is not totally successful. It has a high level of sensitivity, a dynamic range of three to five powers of ten and very good reproducibility.

In the NQAD™, as in all aerosol detectors, an aerosol is formed from the mixture of sample particles and eluent as it flows out of the column. The mobile phase is then evaporated.

The special feature of the WCPC detection method:
The resulting dry particles are treated with water vapour; this condenses on the particles, which act as nucleation sites. The particles then form large droplets and are electronically counted. Particle distribution is shown as a Gaussian curve, or as peaks. Since particles less than a certain size cannot act as nucleation sites, the NQAD™ detector has a very uniform response characteristic to a wide range of substances.

The evaporation temperature can be adjusted within the range from 35°C to 100°C. This leads to considerably improved reproducibility and to good inter-laboratory comparability. The sensitivity is in the nanogramme range on column and thus corresponds to the currently high level of good aerosol detectors. NQAD™ detectors are used both in research and in quality control.

Outstanding Performance:

• for measuring substances without chromophores
• sensitivity: ng range (on column)
• dynamic range: over 3 - 5 powers of ten
• very uniform response characteristic
• excellent reproducibility
• simple, intuitive operation

Numerous applications, such as:

• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
• Steroids
• Peptides
• Proteins
• Polymers
• Tensides

For use in:

• Investigations of impurities and active substances
• Characterisation of excipients
• Cleaning validations
• MS – Method development

For further information please visit our product website (see the button “Additional Information”) Or simply call us, we will be happy to advise you.